World traveller, His Holiness Pope John Paul II makes his final
journey and we'd like to wish him Bon Voyage. While we can't join him on this final leg of
his earthly trip, we can look back at the parts of the world he touched.
Ioannes Paulus PP. II was born Karol Józef Wojtyla (in Wadowice, Poland) on 18th May, 1920; became
the 264th Pope (263rd successor to Peter) on 16th
October, 1978; and passed away in his private apartment in The Vatican, at 9:37pm on
Saturday April 2nd, 2005.
John Paul II was a very modern Pope, waving and smiling
at crowds wherever he travelled and very concious of the role the media could play in
helping the Pontiff spread His message. Pope John Paul II, the traveller, clocked up some
1.2 million kilometres in Holy Pilgrimage.
As head of the Catholic Church, Pope John Paul II made 104 pastoral
visits to 129 countries and 146 pastoral visits within Italy.
The Pope also met countless world leaders in The Vatican.
Newly elected Pope John Paul II raised his arms to greet the
crowd, from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, in Vatican City on Oct. 16th, 1978.
Pope John Paul II spent his first papal months getting to know his
surroundings, visiting the parish church and papal villa
at Castelgandolfo, on October 25th.
Castel
Gandolfo, a small fiefdom of the Savelli, situated on high ground above the Lake of
Albano, became a direct possession of the Pope's towards the end of the XVIth century;
Pope Urbanus VIII selecting it as the papal summer residence.
Dormi in
Economia:
If visiting the area yourself, there's a cosy bed and breakfast 2km from Castel Gandolfo
and close to Albano Lake (1km).
Pope John Paul's first pilgrimage was to the Shrine of the Blessed
Virgin Mary at Mentorella, Rome - on October 29th.
He then visited Assisi, on
November 5th; to venerate the tomb of St. Francis, patron of Italy, and to the Basilica of
Santa Maria sopra Minerva; to venerate the tomb of St. Catherine, patroness of Italy.
Assisi, Italy - © Travel Notes
Michel.
Pope John Paul II World Traveller:
79-80 81-82 83-84 85-86 87-88 89-90 91-92 93-94 95-96 97-98 99-01 02-05
Marktl am Inn:
Birthplace of Benedict XVI; successor to Pope John Paul II.
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